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Business Licenses

Business Licenses

Obtaining A Business License

The City of Armstrong Business License Bylaw requires all businesses within the City of Armstrong to hold a valid and subsisting license for the carrying on of such business. A business is defined as "the carrying on of a commercial or industrial undertaking of any kind or the providing of professional, personal, or other services for the purpose of gain or profit." A business license must be held by the owner or operator of a business, and in the case of more than one business premise, a separate business license is required for each location.

Some organizations or businesses may not be required to obtain a business license. For example, residential premises holding less than 3 garage or yard sales a year or agricultural producers who are not conducting any retail sales from the farm.

An application form must be completed and submitted to the City. Staff review the application to ensure correct zoning of the proposed business location, and where necessary, direct the Building and Fire Inspectors to check the premises. There are fees associated with these inspections which are included in our current Rates and Fees bylaw or on the form itself.

A wise precaution to applicants would be to first check with the City office to ensure that the location of their proposed business conforms with the uses allowed in the zone where they wish to locate, prior to leasing or purchasing property for their business.

The downtown core and Smith Drive are in a Development Permit Area and any new construction or exterior renovations that occur in this area must be dealt with through the Development Permit process. This process allows for the regulation of the form and character of the proposed development and the protection of creeks and the natural environment.

Inter-community Business License

20 Municipalities in the Okanagan – Similkameen Region have combined their efforts to provide Contractors with this cost saving opportunity. Instead of potentially paying for 3, 4 or 5 Business Licenses to conduct business as a Contractor, you will only have to purchase your local Business License and an Inter-community Business License. The Inter-community Business License will allow you to work in any of the participating municipalities.

An eligible business would pay their normal license fee for the community that their business is based from, and an additional licensing fee of $150 to allow access to all other participating municipalities. Please click here for information about what are and are not eligible businesses.